Almost Like Magic
by EmeraldDream1
Summary: Oneshot. 'There's a very pretty girl working in the paper shop who thinks my card tricks are something marvelous...almost like real magic' George and the paper shop girl meet.


A/N: Hey everyone! This is my first time trying a pairing other than H/G or R/Hr. I hope you like it. I was just curious about George and the paper shop girl and decided to write a fic about it. Got a bit more angsty than I was thought it would, but what can you expect when there's a war going on? Let me know what you think!

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"We're off to the village, there's a very pretty girl working in the paper shop who thinks my card tricks are something marvelous...almost like real magic..."

George Weasley, p. 328, HBP (US Edition)

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**__**

**_Almost Like Magic_**

"I'm dead tired," George Weasley said with a sigh as he leaned back in his mother's rocking chair and put his feet up on the coffee table.

"Dead exhausted," his brother Fred agreed from where he was laying on the living room couch. "Wish mum would come home so we could get some good food on our day off."

George nodded and wondered if perhaps they should've owled ahead. Their mum was likely out on some business with the Order. Everyone was so busy lately and all he wanted was a home-cooked meal. Preferably one where he didn't have to think about the war going on.

"Think Verity's tending to the shop okay?" George wondered aloud as he closed his eyes. "Maybe we should've stayed for the shipment of Peruvian Instant Darkness."

"No need," Fred said, "The shop won't be too overrun on a Monday and it's not like we'd do any better job of signing the receipt."

"Too true," George replied.

Both twins simply laid there in silence for a few minutes. George was doing his best not to think of, well anything really. The war, the deaths, his shop (which was doing outstandingly well, but was still a lot of work), and how everything seemed to be falling apart. It was too much to handle and try as he might, George simply couldn't find an escape from it all. Playing pranks had been his escape before, but ever since the Ministry had started ordering things from their shop, it hadn't been quite the retreat that it used to be. And it would probably be ages before his mum got home.

"I'm going for a walk," he announced suddenly.

A muffled, "I'm gonna sleep" came from the couch.

George headed outside and let the front door bang behind him. It was getting colder and he wished that he'd brought his cloak with when he apparated over to the Burrow. The fog seemed heavier than usual and George hoped that there weren't any dementors close by. In his fifth year he'd noticed the change in his own mood that signaled their nearness, but now he felt depressed a lot of the time. He wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It was no wonder that everyone was clamoring for a little laughter with all that was going on.

Before he realized it, George had turned toward the small muggle shopping district of Ottery St. Catchpole. Was as good a place as any, he figured, to wander. The first shop on his right was a paper shop called The Write Place. Seemed amusing enough. Maybe I could get some new quills, George thought absently.

George entered the shop and heard the small tinkling of a bell over his head. He wondered if maybe he and Fred should get something like that for their shop. Not a bell of course. Maybe a bullhorn. Or vanishing slime that fell on the customer and then disappeared.

"Can I help you?" a soft female voice asked. "You look a bit lost."

George looked up and saw a smiling brunette over at the register. She looked like she was trying not to laugh.

"I'm not lost," he said and tried not to be defensive when her brown eyes seemed to assert the contrary. "I'm not."

"Well, you don't exactly look like a paper shop veteran either," she teased.

The girl leaned a hand on her hip and started to twirl a pencil between her fingers. George wondered if he really looked that out of place in here. He had on a blue jumper and jeans. A far cry from the flamboyantly stylish clothes that he and Fred had taken to wearing lately, but surely acceptable here? His head jerked around to see what other customers were wearing. There weren't any. Only carefully displayed piles of parchment, cards, appointment books and pens. The place was deserted.

"Where is everyone?" he wondered aloud.

"Oh," the girl said with a frown as she sat down on the stool beside her. "We've been having a bad couple of months. Everyone's been so worried with the murders and the hurricane...and this ungodly fog, that I don't think that they've cared too much to write a few cards."

"Oh," George replied. He didn't know quite what else to say. He hadn't thought about how all of this might be affecting the muggles.

"Yeah," she continued as she leaned onto the counter in front of her, hair swinging over her shoulders. "My parents own this shop. They're at the bank now, trying to get a second loan. Blame it all on the Prime Minister, of course."

She looked up at George and he nodded because he felt like he should.

"I'm just working here to help them out. Hope to go to university next autumn. My parents are being overprotective though and saying that they won't let me go to London until the government's shaped up security. All the murders have really shook them."

"I expect they've shook everyone," George said quietly. "My folks are all worried too. Father works for the Ministry."

"Oh really?" she asked curiously as she looked up, eyes wide. "In defense then?"

"Er, yes." He supposed that his father's work could be termed defense. He really should watch what he said. At least he hadn't come right out and said Ministry of Magic.

"Well, what's he got to say about everything. Do they know who's done it, all the murders? It's some extremist group, isn't it? I'm sure they're all connected somehow."

Of course they knew who'd done it, George thought angrily. Only problem was that they couldn't do anything about it. Couldn't exactly round up You-know-who, Death Eaters, the living dead, and a few giants and expect them to stay politely in Azkaban.

"I don't really want to talk about it," he replied.

"Oh," she said as a hand flew to cover her mouth. "I'm sorry. Sometimes I'm too nosy for my own good and I guess all of this has just been on my mind a lot lately."

George let out a sigh. "Mine too."

"Well," she said, sitting up straight and obviously trying to think of some way to lighten the mood, "the weather's been crazy lately, hmm, with all this fog?"

The fog. George frowned.

"Er, did I say something wrong? Everyone's so on edge lately, I don't know-"

"Nothing's wrong," George said, even though it wasn't true.

She looked worried...about him. He couldn't believe that she'd noticed so quickly that his thoughts had taken a downturn. Nobody else had noticed lately. Everyone had their own problems and he'd tried to hide his own as well as he could. People had been relying on him and Fred to keep the mood light.

"Hmm," she said, "If you say so."

Her eyes were looking at him as if she could tell what he was thinking. As if she somehow understood the hell his world had gone through in the past months. As if she could read his mind with those understanding, bright eyes. She couldn't of course, he told himself, she was a muggle.

It would be nice to talk to someone, George suddenly thought. Someone who wasn't directly involved.

"Did you want to buy anything?" she said, breaking George's train of thought. Maybe she didn't really understand. Maybe she was trying to get rid of him. He had been a right downer lately. She looked bored as she tapped her fingers on the counter.

George suddenly felt like he'd been selfish. Her parents were probably going to lose their shop and he'd come in and been about to dump all his problems on her.He reached his hands in his pockets. The least he could do is buy something. After all, he was lucky enough to have a flourishing shop in Diagon Alley.

Only galleons.

"I haven't got any money with me," George said apologetically. Now that he had money, he wasn't used to being in situations like this.

"'S'okay," she said with a shrug. "Wanna play cards?"

"Er, all right," George replied, surprised by the sudden change in topic and the fact that this girl didn't seem in any rush to make him leave any more. She really was quite pretty, he thought as she searched through a drawer for a deck of cards. Her hair fell haphazardly in front of her face as she leaned over and George was tempted to push the smooth brown locks behind her ear. And she had a dimple on her right cheek when she smiled.

"I've got them!" She grinned as she tossed a worn deck of cards on the counter. "What shall we play?"

George shrugged. The Jack of Spades looked up at him with one eye, but didn't move at all. It didn't even attempt to struggle against the rubber band that bound it to the other cards. There was something really creepy about that.

"I suppose we can play war," she said with a sigh. "I don't really know many other games for two people."

She started to deal the cards into two equal piles. George couldn't help but recognize the irony. A war was going on outside and here they were playing a card game called war.

"I've never played war before," he mentioned. "Not the card game I mean."

The war he was involved in had nothing to do with the word "play".

"Well, we put down cards at the same time and whoever has the higher number wins. If we have both put down the same number, then it's war." She grinned at him. "I'll show you what to do when we get to it."

She picked up her pile of cards and George did the same with his.

"Ready?" she asked with a challenging look in her eyes. George nodded and they both flipped over their top cards.

Eight to three.

"Ha!" she shouted. "I've got that one."

She got the next three as well.

"What kind of game is this?" George muttered. "Exploding snap is much -"

"What did you say?"

She's a muggle, George chastised himself, I can't keep saying things like that.

"Nothing."

"Well, don't be a sore loser," she said as she hit him on the arm. "I might have to find some other brooding redhead to play card games with."

"I don't usually brood, you know," George said as he put down the next card.

"I'm just teasing," she said as she put down the next card. "War."

"Yeah," he agreed. His change in mood was because of the war. "It just takes a lot out of me you know, and everyone expects me to be funny all of the time, and my brother too, but it's a lot to deal with-"

"I meant war," she said as she pointed to the cards and gave him a quizzical look. "Are you all right?"

"I've been having a tough year," he finally admitted.

"I'm guessing you don't want to talk about it," she said with a wry, understanding smile.

George shook his head. "Not yet...maybe later."

"Well, I'll be here when later arrives."

She smiled at George and he smiled back. He might like later to arrive sooner if it was going to be spent with someone like her. Her smile made the world seem a little bit simpler.

"Want to see a card trick?" he asked suddenly as he gathered up the deck of cards. She nodded and he started shuffling the cards. The trick would be easier if he had his own cards and not this muggle deck, but he did have his wand in his back pocket.

"Pick out your favorite card," George said as he spread the cards out on the counter. "And put it in your back pocket."

While she was doing that, George slipped his wand up his sleeve. She announced that she was done and George gathered the cards back into a pile. He surreptitiously tapped the top card with his wand and muttered a spell.

"Turn it over," he said, gesturing to the top card on the deck.

She did. It was the Queen of Hearts.

"How'd you do that?" she said with a gasp.

George had to hold back a reaction himself when he saw the card. The only time that card had held any importance was on an autumn night in the common room last year.

* * *

_"C'mon George!" Katie Bell had yelled from across the common room. "Let us have a go. It'll be fun!"_

_Angelina, sitting beside her, nodded fervently. "We promise not to predict that you'll marry a Slytherin or anything."_

_"I have loads to do," I said as I walked over. _

_"If you say that you have to study for the NEWTs," Katie said, "I'll die from laughter."_

_"I happen to think that the NEWTs are very important for a wizard's future," I said in a lofty tone, trying not to crack a smile. _

_"Nice imitation of Percy, you great joker," Angelina replied, "Now do you have an actual excuse for not letting Katie practice her divination?"_

_"Hermione's making it damn difficult to recruit any firsties to product test," I complained. "Fred and I have been testing everything ourselves."_

_"I know," Angelina said with a bitter tone. I wondered which one Fred had tried with her around._

_"Well," Katie said firmly, "Then it will be the perfect escape for you to have a bit of your future told."_

_She carefully shuffled the cards and spread them out in front of her._

_"Er, Katie?" I asked when I saw the Queen of Spades wink at me, "Aren't those from a deck of exploding snap cards?"_

_Katie looked a bit flustered and nodded ruefully. Angelina patted her on the shoulder in sympathy._

_"My little brother nicked my tarot cards this summer and I haven't seen them since. I forgot to get new ones at Diagon Alley so I've been trying to make due with these." She frowned before adding, "If you're really careful when you move them around, they don't explode."_

_I wondered how many times they'd exploded._

_"All right," I said. "You've got me feeling bad enough for you that I'll do this. Don't know why you're still taking Divination anyway."_

_"Because it's easy," Katie said with a smile, suddenly upbeat again. She had me cut the deck and hand her the first card._

_"Oh, interesting," she said as she set down the first card and I handed her the second. I kept handing her cards and she kept oohing and aahing over them._

_"A little faster George," Angelina said, "They're starting to smolder."_

_Sure enough, the deck of cards was starting to smoke. I gave Katie the last two cards and the pile sparked. After a small explosion that burnt two of my fingers, I turned to her._

_"Are you ready? Or are you waiting for me to lose a whole hand?"_

_"Sorry," she apologized as she sat straight up. "This one here says that family is really important to you and that something is going to shake that foundation."_

_I nodded, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my stomach._

_"And this one says that in the near future something you enjoy will be taken from you."_

_Katie frowned, looking over the cards._

_I glanced at Angelina and she shrugged._

_"Anything good in there Katie?" I asked. "Because right now this escape of a future sounds like shite."_

_"I'll find it," she muttered. "Ah, here!"_

_She poked at a card defiantly and it exploded._

_"Ow," she yelled before sucking on a blackened index finger. "I've got to get new cards."_

_"What did it say?" Angelina asked._

_"Yeah, before it exploded," I added._

_Angelina glared at me._

_"It says that you're going to do very well in business," Katie said triumphantly. "Congratulations."_

_"Nicely done," Angelina added. I wasn't sure if she was talking to me or to Katie._

_"Good," I said with a grin, "Now if I'm to get this business up and running, I've got to go collect some first years before Ronnie's girlfriend gets to them."_

_I stood up to leave._

_"Wait," Katie said with a hand up in the air to stop me, "I haven't finished yet. Looks like you've got a bit of a love life in the future."_

_I sat back down. Angelina leaned closer to the cards. She'd been dying to find someone for me ever since she and Fred got together._

_"Who is it?" she whispered._

_Katie laughed. "It's not like I've got a name. Just this card-"_

_"Don't poke it!" I shouted as she aimed a finger down at the card. She ignored me, but it didn't explode._

_"Queen of Hearts," she whispered with a grin. "Our little Georgie's gonna meet the love of his life."_

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It had to be a coincidence, George thought as the paper shop girl looked at the card with awe. It didn't matter that Katie had been right with her other predictions. Percy had left and broken mum's heart and he'd been banned from Quidditch.

"That's amazing," she said as she grinned up at him. "How'd you do it?"

"My little secret," George managed.

"Well then which one is in my pocket?" she asked.

"Check."

George had no idea which one was in her pocket. He'd simply swapped her card with the top one on the deck. In what George later decided was the second great coincidence of the night, she pulled a joker out of her back pocket. She laughed.

"I'd forgotten that those were even in the deck. That trick was something marvelous."

George grinned. "Thanks."

"I mean," she continued, "That was almost like real magic!"

George laughed. Almost like real magic, indeed.

Suddenly, the bell over the shop door chimed.

"George!" a voice called out, "There you are! I've been all over looking for you. Mum's outdone herself for our homecoming dinner."

George turned around to see Fred striding through the store, looking completely well-rested and recharged. It made George regret that he probably looked horrid right now.

Fred reached the counter and smiled. "Now who have we here? George, you must introduce me to your lady friend."

At which point George realized that he hadn't even thought to ask her name. He decided to do introductions the other way around in hopes that some way out would present itself.

"Well, this is my twin brother Fred, and Fred this is..."

"I'm Marjorie," she said as she stuck out her hand and shook Fred's, still looking a little curiously at Fred's violently green dragonskin jacket. George repeated her name in his head, determined to remember.

"Spiffing to meet you," Fred said with a grin. "Now, I'm afraid that I have to take dear Georgie away from you. Homemade food is calling."

George looked at her apologetically, but she just laughed.

"Nothing better than homemade food, I always say," she agreed.

Fred started out the door, leaving George alone with Marjorie.

"It was nice meeting you," George said, "I'm sorry..." He gestured at the door.

"It's okay," she said with a smile. George could see her dimple. Her eyes were bright. "You can always come back later." She added special emphasis on the last word and he remembered how she said that she'd be here to talk to when later arrived.

"I'd like that Marjorie," he said with a smile.

She nodded and he walked out of the shop, where Fred was waiting.

"So," Fred teased as they walked back to the Burrow, "A muggle, eh?"

"Yeah," George admitted with a sigh.

"What's she like?"

George thought of Marjorie's smile and her laugh and the way that she'd been able to read him immediately. He'd felt more hope in the short time talking with her, than he had felt in months.

"She's almost like magic," he replied.

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A/N: Hope you liked it! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts.


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